A Cognitive Psychology
by Winterswild
Summary: An old friend moves into Piccolo's forest, and to his horror - he's here to stay. There's an accident and as Piccolo struggles to deal with the consequences, Gohan and Chi-chi struggle to deal with him. Non-canon. Post Cell saga. Eventual M/M - Slow burn.
1. Serendipity's sake

**A Cognitive Psychology**

Likely Piccolo/male OC

This will ultimately be more lighthearted than my other stories, focusing on Piccolo's growing relationship with an old friend and his friendship with Gohan and Chi chi.

**Chapter One**

**Serendipity's Sake**

Piccolo's sigh echoed far more than he had expected, and even the trees replied with a gentle groan, feeling his disdain. That dastardly little house still sat, obnoxiously and without shame, in his beautiful untouched forest. In a way, he could hardly blame every single human for not realising it belonged to him, but he had gone to some lengths to scare the ones that had ventured in, sometimes only a little, sometimes half to death. And thus, 'Beware the Forest Demon' had been born. Now, here, whilst he had been busy at the Lookout doing some insignificant thing with Dende, a creature had come and popped up some little domicile to live in. He stared at the unwelcome, metal man-made vehicle that had also appeared next to the white cottage, and Piccolo had to remind himself that blowing up human property was something Gohan had insisted he stopped doing. Not that he listened to the rules outlined by Earth children, but such behaviour had, perhaps inevitably, led to further problems in the past. Images of Demon hunts came to mind.

He huffed and crossed his arms, hovering in the air, glowering at it. He had only sensed one man so far, presumably human due to an alarmingly low, almost concerning power level, although it was familiar in a distant sort of way. He wondered if he had come across it in the past, at a tournament perhaps, or maybe that's just how they all felt. The thought of sheep came to his mind, and his scowl deepened. Gohan would frown at such a comparison, chastising him for being prejudice, how 'you of all people should know better Piccolo'. He was busy with his own internal dispute and belatedly realised that the energy had stopped moving around. He narrowed his dark eyes at the house once more and had to bite back an undignified reaction. The human stood calmly at one of the windows, staring up towards Piccolo's position in the sky.

From this distance he couldn't discern much about the man, and to his chagrin there was something he couldn't sense at all; fear. He fought the urge to disappear, hoping his looming around would make the man move back into the city where he belonged. He waited, cape billowing. The man crossed his arms, as if mocking him.

Alex had known about Piccolo long before the jade creature had showed up. It had been a long time since he had been in this part of the world, longer still back to the village he grew up in, but you don't forget someone as unique as the surly green man hovering in the sky above him. He hadn't quite been a man when they met, neither of them had been, but he had always been tall. He smirked, knowing that his watcher had not recognised him, though inside it stung just a little bit. The stories from the village had been wild and ridiculous, and it had taken exactly no time at all to work out they were most likely talking about Piccolo.

He'd be lying to himself if he didn't admit it was part of his reason for moving here, that and he was genuinely looking for some peace and quiet for a while. His mother had died some years ago, and when his father had passed the previous month, he just felt like he should be here. To honor his parents, to ask forgiveness, he wasn't sure which really. He should have been around more. He waited for Piccolo to move, and when he realised he wasn't going to, he decided to go make some coffee. Perhaps the angry young man would smell the bitter sweet audacity from his vantage point.

He did. The gentle breeze carried the scent of strong coffee and the Namek felt outraged. In hindsight, he couldn't explain his next decision, but he slowly descended to the ground. It was still a fair walk to the little cottage but he would go no closer than this. Maybe the man would attack him, fearing intrusion, and Piccolo would have an excuse to destroy his offensive little house._ Since when did I need an excuse?_

The front door opened, slowly, and the man stepped out onto the veranda, holding a cup of hot liquid in his hand. From this distance, Piccolo could see enough to give him pause. He had grown, shadowy hair graced his jaw, but his face was unmistakably similar. The Namek didn't quite know what to say or do, this sort of social phenomenon had not really happened before. An image of the man, younger, tall and slight, playing in the snow with a woollen hat flashed in his mind. He had evidently filled out since then. Alex could see the hesitation on those jade features he remembered so well, and he smiled warmly. He didn't raise his voice, knowing that his old friend would hear him perfectly well.

"Piccolo, I thought you might pop by"

The Namek's face darkened. _I do not pop anywhere. _The human continued.

"Would you like a coffee?" He raised the cup as if Piccolo had not seen one before.

"No"

"Okay, well, would you like to come in?"

"No"

Piccolo wondered why he was even gracing this man with a conversation. This was not at all going to plan. Alex laughed a little, his deep voice smoother than he remembered. _All grown up. _

"Ok. If you'd like to join me on the porch here, you're welcome to. If you'd like to continue standing there, you can do that too"

With that he sat down on a white wooden chair, settling on a little red flowery fabric seating cushion. It had been his mother's.

Piccolo remained where he was, arms crossed and he thought that maybe he was even growling. Not that he cared, this was just going to be a problem. Gohan would remind him later that he probably wouldn't venture much into the forest anyway, but that wasn't the point. Where there is one, more will follow. His student's voice fluttered in his mind, oh so reasonable and equally unwelcome, _you could just ask him to leave._

Alex. That was his name. He had been friendly, for months he had come to the forest to look for Piccolo so that they could go on adventures. They had played, although the Namek hadn't really understood the concept and had hurt Alex a few times. Once very badly. In those months Piccolo had grown rapidly from a child into an adolescent, and he had been so angry. All he could see was violence, and it's all he wanted to do. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the shame that his pointless vendetta against Goku always brought to the forefront of his mind.

The man just sat, sipping his coffee and ignored the Namek completely. Piccolo had not been this angry in such a long time, not since Gohan had really started to grow up and was now either a ball unreasonable emotional fury or a time worn philosopher. Defeating Cell had taken its toll on the young man's mental health, that much was obvious to even him.

Piccolo uncrossed his arms, and slowly started walking towards the covered veranda. His purple gi moved in the wind and he made it all the way to the three steps up to the porch before stopping. He eyed the wooden frame, perhaps it would break and snap under his weight, not that he would mind. Alex spotted the hesitation from the corner of his eye.

"Come on, you don't weigh that much"

Piccolo grunted, removing his weighted cape and turban, and stepped up onto the main deck.

"I hope it breaks"

Alex laughed, he hadn't changed at all. Still surly, still combative. He stood, and unfolded a second chair, this one had a blue flowery seating cushion, and he placed it opposite. All the proximity in the small space made Piccolo feel uncomfortable. Alex stood a metre away, gesturing to the chair. He was a couple of inches shorter, but he was broad, and Piccolo wasn't entirely sure why this bothered him. Though he supposed he was just used to being the biggest by default. His ego might even revolve around it.

"I'd rather stand"

Alex nodded but didn't sit back down. With them both standing, Piccolo thought it impossibly claustrophobic. The coffee smelled so full of flavour and bitterness.

"You need to leave"

Piccolo cursed himself internally. He had little social awareness but certainly had enough to realise that wasn't the most diplomatic approach.

"Do I?"

"Yes"

The other man nodded and hummed, looking down.

"I see"

Piccolo tried not to let his features light up.

"Good"

He turned to leave but Alex's hand on his arm stopped him in surprise, rather than strength. His skin was so warm, and a little rough. He looked down at it like it was an alien creature, they hadn't been covered in fine dark hair all those years ago.

"I'm not going to leave Piccolo"

The Namek held back his reaction, wanting to swipe him away. The memory of almost crushing the human's windpipe, his bright blue eyes vivid with terror, was suddenly alarmingly fresh in his mind. _Why isn't he scared of me?_

He must have given the thought away, because Alex answered the unspoken question.

"Did you come here thinking you could scare me into leaving?"

Piccolo pulled his arm away roughly, and the human did swallow subconsciously at the dark look in his eyes.

"You're not welcome here"

Alex must have run out of charm at this point, because his tone changed. Piccolo had learned enough about human interaction to know that this conversation was not going anywhere good.

"Actually, it's you, who isn't welcome"

For some reason, that hurt. Piccolo quickly jumped from the decking and before any time had passed at all, he had leaped into the air and disappeared with a flash of Chi. Alex exhaled loudly, feeling disappointed in himself. He pulled up his loose jeans a little and treaded down the steps to retrieve the discarded cape and turban. His grey t-shirt stretched a little when he bent down and he frowned at the tight feeling, laughing to himself, _fingers crossed it's muscle._

He struggled to pick up the items together and abruptly dropped them in a huff, deciding instead to pick them up individually.

"Fuck me"

_Not muscle then._

Several days went by without incident. He half expected, and deep down, hoped, Piccolo would come by for a second round. The chair in the kitchen groaned slightly as he shifted, and he removed his narrow glasses, rubbing his nose. He'd been sending emails relentlessly, his parent's affairs were now almost sorted but the legal side was a little more complex than he had realised. His cousins were also sending messages back and forth, wanting to know who gets what, and when, and why. And he didn't care.

He missed work, which surprised him. He had thought that six months off would be a welcome break from endless appointments and hospital politics. His musings were interrupted by a sound from outside, and he glanced at the glass door leading from the kitchen to the veranda. A young man was striding purposefully through the garden and with a bright grin on his face. Alex put his glasses down, smoothed back his thick black hair and walked out onto the porch to greet the visitor.

Gohan smiled and gleefully introduced himself.

"Hi! I'm Gohan"

"Hi Gohan." Alex looked around to see if anyone had accompanied the teenager, no one had. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I live on the other side of the forest, with my mum and brother"

Alex frowned, that distance was not a small one.

"Oh, well, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you...neighbour." He was probably closer to people in the village in all honesty.

Gohan passed him a tin box with another boyish smile. He already knew who he was, courtesy of store gossip in the small village he, Goten and his mother visited the day before. Chi chi had been very interested once she learned he was a Doctor, the name Dr. Casper had been on her lips all afternoon. The name sounded foreign to him.

"It's a cake my mum made. She would have come as well but she doesn't have a car at the moment and she doesn't like me to...uh, help her"

Alex wrongly assumed that she must not be strong enough to make the trip.

"I hope she is well, please thank her for the cake, it's very kind"

The older man gestured to one of the porch chairs. "Take a seat, I'll get you a lemonade"

Gohan grinned and promptly sat down. "Thanks!"

Alex retrieved two lemonades slowly, wishing it was homemade but not having the first clue of how to produce such a thing. He idly glanced at the map he pinned on the wall. Fifteen miles to the other side. _Maybe he lives closer than he realises. _His full fridge reminded him that he should start cooking some of its contents before it all goes to waste. He grabbed a knife and two small plates on his way outside. The teen had made himself comfortable and was waiting patiently with perfect manners.

Opening the tin, Alex cut them a slice each and offered the boy a piece. His big brown eyes lit up like it was Christmas. "Aw thanks!"

"Sure"

He sat down and opened the cap of the lemonade. The young man's voice was energetic.

"I'm 's friend"

Realisation dawned in the man's dark blue eyes. _So you're either here to defend him, or apologise for him._

"I see"

"He can be a bit crabby, you know. He told me you'd moved here"

It was hard to hear every word clearly through the over zealous munching.

"And...yeah, he can come across a bit unfriendly when he doesn't mean to be"

Gohan thought Alex had a pleasant smile, and when he laughed, the young man joined in.

"Actually I know, Piccolo and I know each other"

The teen's eyes widened. _Ah, Piccolo hadn't mentioned that. _Alex continued.

"So did he send you here to apologise with the cake?"

Gohan chuckled, his face screwing up with the implausibility of it.

"No! He would never say sorry. My mum sent me to apologise to you so that you won't move away. She doesn't like Mr. Piccolo very much"

Gohan idly wondered if his tall green friend could even bake. Or had ever even used an oven.

Piccolo looked on through the trees at his former student eating cake with the interloper and scowled deeply. He could almost hear every word clearly, and he again questioned how much closer he could get without being seen. He could also add meddling to Gohan's long list of irritating traits. Piccolo had intended to charge into the house and make his demands when arriving to see this scenario. Several minutes later, Gohan bid goodbye and tottered back into the forest cheerfully. Piccolo tutted internally at the half Saiyan's lack of awareness as he passed within metres of his mentor, lowered Chi or not. _Some warrior. _

He focussed his gaze back towards the little house and watched the man go back inside. He was wearing jeans again, this time with a loose fitted shirt. Not that Piccolo was making notes.

Another two days passed. Alex had gone into the village to pick up supplies and passed some time in the book shop and looked idly for another jacket in the small men's bootique that somehow remained profitable. His return trip had been uneventful, though he did see his own tired eyes in the rear view mirror, and together with his high cheekbones and wide jaw he thought it made him look a little sinister. He pulled faces in the mirror, trying to see just how evil he could look, slowing down unintentionally. An explosion ahead, high above the road and in the forest, thundered through his ears. He slowed the car to a stop, thinking for a moment as black smoke faded into grey ahead. He had only one possible explanation, _Piccolo_.

He frowned and drove on, picking up the speed. He turned the hover car to the left, and onro the road that led up to the house, but instead carried on further into the forest. Luckily, he was a confident driver, and the car was relatively agile. Still, he felt nervous flying through the unpredictable terrain and dodging branches. The smell of burning bark helped him navigate and he arrived roughly five minutes later, quickly stepping out of the vehicle with the med kit he kept in the glove box. Gohan, the boy he had met, was kneeled in the dirt and covered in scratches. He followed the boys line of sight to the man laid face down in the ground, and his shaking young hands were gripped on the Name's gi, shaking him. Gohan looked up at him, wide brown eyes terrified and guilty.

"I'm scared to move him"

Gohan had read somewhere you shouldn't move injured people, and he was hanging onto that fact. Alex had no difficulty taking control, and was even relieved, strangely, to be doing something familiar. He had been a military medic for several years before leaving to study medicine in his mid twenties.

"It's ok Gohan, I'm a doctor. Just let go, I'll take a look"

The half Saiyan reluctantly let go and shuffled back slightly. It was clear to Alex the two had been fighting, and he wondered for a moment if the young man was stronger than he appeared. He felt down Piccolo's body, shouting for a response as he did. He couldn't feel anything too worrying, not that it was an exact science. Alex rolled the Namek over gently onto his back, his keen eyes taking in the cuts and bruises. His chest was rising and falling, and once he found an artery, he confirmed a steady pulse. A minute later, he was satisfied that the jade man was most likely just knocked out. Relief flooded him, more than he expected. He thought of taking him to a hospital and then dismissed it, their lacking knowledge of alien anatomy and the tempation of experimentation would be a poor mix. He remembered Piccolo being incredibly resilient in his youth.

"Gohan, let me take a look at you"

The teen walked over and Alex confirmed that he indeed was fine, save a few superficial injuries.

"OK, help me get him into my car? Then I'll drive you home, you need to rest up. I'll take Piccolo back to mine and make sure he recovers"

_I hope we don't need to go to a hospital. _Medical staff administering drugs blindly came to his mind's eye.

The relief on Gohan's features was palpable, and he gingerly helped lift his mentor into the car to lay on the back seat. The teen bit his lip as he bent Piccolo's legs to help him lay in a fetal position so he could close the door, the Namek would kill him for the embarrassment alone. He climbed into the passenger seat and clipped his seatbelt in. Alex breathed out, not realising the amount of stress he'd been holding onto. As the engine started, he looked to Gohan for directions and he gladly obliged, despite dreading his mother's reaction.

Alex wondered how the teen had been up in the air, if he had been, at the time of the explosion. He knew that Piccolo had some not easily explained abilities, and he wondered if Gohan might also be an alien. His thoughts petered off as they approached the small dome building. Smoke was leaving the chimney and the smell of food was heavy and pleasant in the air. Chi-chi came out of the house like a bat out of hell and Gohan visibly shrinked into the seat, a look of abject horror on his growing face.

Alex smiled, oh how he remembered that feeling. Chi-chi ran to the car, her face showing varying emotions as she did. A young boy with unruly hair poked his head out of the door but didn't approach.

"Gohan! Gohan! My baby, did that monster hurt you?"

The scruffy teen got out of the car and hugged his concerned parent. Alex opened the door but didn't step out, sparing a glance at Piccolo to make sure he was both breathing and still unconscious. Chi-chi looked to her left and immediately stood up straight, patting down her dress and feeling self conscious all of a sudden.

"Oh! Dr. Casper isn't it? I'm Son Chi chi, Gohan's mother. Thank you for bringing my son back, I hope he didn't cause any trouble"

She didn't see Piccolo in the back seat until he gestured towards the sleeping Namek.

"It's Alex. And, not at all. I'm not sure what happened...but Piccolo has a concussion"

Gohan looked sheepish, and Chi chi frowned at her son in that parental, disapproving way. She felt a tinge of concern for the Namek but squashed it quickly, and did her best to explain away the incident.

"Probably just a sparring accident, Piccolo is Gohan's martial arts instructor"

Alex didn't really understand, but remembered enough about Piccolo to accept the explanation at face value, for the moment.

He eyed the young boy at the door and smiled before getting back in the dark green car, he reversed and shouted through the open window as he left.

"Thanks for the cake!"

The drive back was a slower one but not by much, he didn't want to keep his eyes away from his charge for too long. Things can take a surprising turn with head injuries. Scrapes sounded along with the engine, his car had taken some hits from branches and bushes but he didn't mind, this was the country after all. They arrived back and he parked as close to the door as possible, eyeing the patient's size in the back seat. Gohan had found Piccolo's weight surprisingly unproblematic and he again wondered why that might be. He carefully pulled the Namek out head first, and awkwardly but successfully slipped his arms underneath both his trunk and knees. Alex braced himself as he lifted, and felt the unused muscles burn. Piccolo was deceptively lighter than he appeared, as was the case when he was young, but he still weighed a respectable amount. He thanked his father internally for his wide hand span and walked slowly and carefully up the veranda steps. It was then that he thanked his mother, for that country girl strength. Years ago she had picked him up, and he was by no means a small child, and two of his cousins at the same time to deliver them all the scalding of his life.

He fumbled with the door knob and made his way inside. The main bedroom was the first room so he quickly decided to deposit him in there. He tried hard not to drop him in relief and couldn't help but breathe heavily once he was down. Piccolo lay still, breathing steadily but still unconscious, head turned to one side. His dark purple gi was torn and burned, splattered with red and violet blood. Alex did another quick check of his pupils and pulse. It was only then that he thought of Piccolo's reaction when he woke up and smiled. _Won't this be interesting._

Piccolo woke up in shock, confused and in pain. He felt stiff and flinched when he tried to move his arms. Gohan had gone from zero to a level of power that he hadn't had time to comprehend, and he chastised himself for being unprepared. His vision blurred for a moment, before revealing a ceiling. A white ceiling. He frowned, and moving his facial muscles sent a searing pain through his head.

He shifted regardless, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He was horrified to hear his own audible moan when he did. Colourful bed sheets looked nauseating and so did the room, it was full of strange wooden statues and bright materials. His balance felt all over the place as he surveyed his surroundings. Darkness came over him; through the open door, leading to what he assumed was a living area, he could see that human. _Alex._

He was laid, spread out, on the sofa in the living room, snoring lightly. He didn't really fit on the sofa and Piccolo realised that he must be in the human's bed. A feeling, guilt or smugness or a combination of both, made him chuckle under his breath. The sound woke Alex up so quickly that Piccolo almost panicked, unused to humans having any semblance of good hearing. He shot up on the sofa, looking straight at Piccolo. The Namek stared back, willing his body to move so he could leave before the inevitable conversation began, but his muscles just sat there limply. The look in Alex's eyes made him pause, like he had woken up expecting something terrible.

In a moment, the human was up and heading towards him and Piccolo groaned in disapproval. It was early morning, and the sun was glittering in through the blinds. He threw off the bed covers but Alex moved a hand to stop him from getting up.

"Wait. I know you want to get the hell out of here but let me check you first"

The Namek did not hear anything convincing in that sentence, but the pain in his head made him acquiesce. He huffed his approval.

"Fine"

The other man raised his hand and asked Piccolo to follow his finger. The Namek rolled his eyes at the ridiculous request but doing so made him fall backwards onto the pillow in dizziness.

"You've got a concussion"

Piccolo frowned.

"A what?"

He was going to protest more, but didn't have a chance to before his stomach tensed painfully. Vomit rose up and through his throat, burning. Alex had apparently been prepared for this and pushed Piccolo forward and a bowl underneath, holding a hand steady on his back as he vomited. Liquid hit the bowl, and soon nothing did but he was still heaving. The humiliation was almost as bad as the sensation and Piccolo closed his eyes and lifted his head, breathing heavily.

Sweat was beginning to bead on his temples. His antennae bobbed up and down in unhappiness.

His host placed the bowl on the floor and pushed the Namek back down. Piccolo didn't recall anything else as he fell unconscious against his will.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he woke up again, this time behaving more carefully in order to avoid another embarrassing display of weakness. The pain in his head, the dizziness, made him feel wretched and he tried to work out why this was so much worse than a usual sparring injury. He came up with a grand nothing. The white ceiling just carried on being there, annoying him.

His long ears could hear the human moving things around in that room they cooked in, he couldn't remember the name of it, and he could smell something sweet in the air. Slowly, this time, he moved himself up into a sitting position. Still his head pounded and his vision betrayed him, he breathed in deeply, willing his stomach not to contract. It didn't. The human walked in, carrying a tray. The name of the person didn't come, and he must have looked puzzled for a moment because the man spoke.

"Feeling okay?"

Piccolo didn't know what to say. He inexplicably felt safe, another thing which confused him.

"I'm fine"

_Alex_. His mind rammed the name into his consciousness.

He put the tray down, and pressed a warm cup of peppermint tea into Piccolo's hand. Belatedly, the Namek responded, thankful to have something to counteract the bitter taste of vomit on his tongue. He raised it to his lips and for a moment felt grateful. He paused before drinking, remembering something important.

"Gohan?"

He smiled, expecting the question. "He's fine, a few scratches"

Taking the opportunity to needle Piccolo, he continued.

"Not that I'm surprised that you were fighting but...a little unevenly matched aren't you?" _As in you're an adult, and he's a child._

"We were sparring. Gohan is...a lot stronger than he looks, the strongest person I know in fact. I'm his...mentor"

_Same story as Gohan's mother, maybe it's true._ He was glad to have an answer but the Namek's words were a little disjointed and he frowned at it. _Probably the concussion._

"He must be a strong boy." _Come to think of it, he looks a lot like that blonde kid who killed Cell. _He figured they must be related.

Piccolo felt even more awkward as time went on, as if it were possible.

"I...This isn't really necessary, my Namekian physiology would have healed perfectly fine on its own." He had tried to say thank you, it just didn't come out.

The other man rolled the word 'Namekian' around on his mind's tongue. He had wondered, from time to time, about the race of his young green friend all those years ago. It wasn't a physiology he would be familiar with and he again thought of the concussion, what if there was something he didn't know.

"Do you know any Namekian Doctors?"

Piccolo looked at him blankly. He hadn't even considered such a thing. He was having trouble keeping up with the conversation. His low tones still sounded comforting to Alex, even if they were a little slower than normal.

"No, some Namekians have...healing abilities"

"Ok, do you know of any?"

"Yes"

The man sighed. Having a two way conversation with the Namekian was torturous, although it was a large improvement from the one word answers of his childhood.

"We should contact one, just to make sure. I'm a human doctor but-"

"No, I'm fine"

He tried to look surprised and failed. Perhaps Gohan knew of one, he would see if their number was listed that afternoon, he needed to check on him anyway.

"Drink your tea, it'll settle your stomach."

Piccolo wanted to kick off, throw it at him and storm out. Something made him reconsider, maybe the intense pain, the fogginess, the nausea. There was also something else, like a familiar pattern repeating itself. He sipped the tea quietly and uncharacteristically.

He rested some more, and awoke to a familiar Chi appearing at the foot of the bed. His scowl was unintentional but spoke volumes.

"Dende"

The young Namekian smiled sweetly and raised his hands in mock defense. Piccolo was having none of it, however.

"Why are you here?" _And how are you here?_

"Your friend, Alex, called Gohan and-"

Piccolo interrupted with a dark and growling countenance.

"He's not my friend. And you can go back, I'm fine." _Don't you have a job to do?_

Dende might appear meek but he was unfazed by the older Namek's grumblings. Seriousness filled his young features and he slid over, robes ruffling, to the side of his bed and promptly moved his glowing hands over Piccolo's abdomen, ignoring him completely. The smaller Namek frowned, moving his hands upwards and focussed his right hand over his patient's skull. His face went blank, deliberately so, and Piccolo's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Dende looked smiled, but it was hollow.

Gohan stood just inside the doorway, trying to stay as far out of the way as possible whilst being unable to fully do so. He cared so much, so incredibly that it physically hurt.

Alex recognised the look on Dende's face as well as any Doctor would. It was the expression of another professional masking the truth from a patient, because they needed to be sure, because it wasn't the right time. He closed his eyes briefly, not for the first time wondering why this felt so close to his chest. Deep tones were impatient.

"Just spit it out kid"

Dende hesitated, before deciding that his friend and fellow Namekian deserved the truth, whatever it might mean. Piccolo could handle it.

"You've got brain damage. It's...your body has healed as much as possible as normal, but, it's healed wrong. For lack of a better word"

"What do you mean?" Alex was puzzled, _healed already?_

Dende glanced at the older dark haired man, and he could see like a Kami sees, the warmth and purity of heart beating behind his ribs. He was a human Doctor, and a good one, he couldn't have known.

"Namekians heal quickly, and it's advanced, regenerative. In most cases it's an excellent advantage, but when it comes to the brain...it can be a hindrance. You said concussion, and that made sense but the blow must have been more severe"

He turned his attention to Piccolo, out of respect.

"Your brain has effectively healed the wound, but when it regenerated, it copied the existing damaged cells, the damaged DNA, and it thinks it's job is done"

He thought of the young, impressionable half Saiyan landing on the Lookout out of breath, dishevelled and still covered in scratches. Gohan was crying now. He could feel it more than see it.

Alex clearly wasn't taking this well.

"Can't you finish the job instead then? With your abilities?"

"No, I can only aid the body's natural healing process, I can't heal independently"

Alex felt sick. Genuinely, deeply and it was cold. Gohan's next innocent words made him want to expel the feeling from his body in one dramatic heave.

"But, I mean he's going to be fine isn't he? And it would have been so much worse if Alex hadn't been there. I mean how lucky we were to have a Doctor nearby"

The boy's voice was wavering. Dende glanced down. Piccolo remained still, not quite willing to comprehend the full impact of what was being said. Alex didn't really make it any better.

"Actually no." He swallowed thickly and looked directly at Piccolo, "anyone else would have taken you to a hospital, they would have induced a coma, it probably would have helped."

"It's precisely because I was a Doctor that I didn't. I thought it was as a concussion"

The volume of his voice faded to a whisper. Thick, intense guilt flooded his being. Piccolo saw deep but controlled emotion begin to fill in Alex's blue eyes, and interjected quickly before things got too out of hand.

"Stop it. Does any of this really matter? I'm fine"

He was lying, there was one thing, the smooth throbbing energy of the dragonballs was absent.

Dende explained further.

"It may take time for any further...damage to show itself, it's probably best that you stay here Piccolo, just in case"

Gohan's eyes were wet with worry and he blurted out something that Dende and Piccolo had already considered, and dismissed, but he wasn't to know.

"What about the dragonballs?!"

Piccolo shook his head.

"They're gone, kid"

Dende knew there was something much more wrong with Piccolo than Gohan's explanation had intimated when he landed on the Lookout; not death, as he had first feared. Though he knew that the consequences of losing the dragonballs may be catastrophic, he couldn't help but be relieved that his Namekian friend was alive.

Alex had no idea what a dragonball was but filed the question away for a more appropriate time. Dende attempted to lighten the mood.

"It might be the only effect, hopefully, I can't sense anything else fundamentally wrong"

Piccolo scowled. He had absolutely no intention of staying in this small human house, surrounded by all these colourful emotions. He moved to stand up, but felt nausea radiate in his stomach._ If I'm healed, why am I still sick?_

The Doctor bit his lip, contemplating all the possible scenarios as fast as possible before putting a hand on Gohan's shoulder. He had seen Gohan and Dende landing in the garden when they had arrived, and knew the boy would be able to get home quickly.

"You better head home Gohan. I'll be by tomorrow to check on you okay? And go straight home, I'll be calling to check"

The teen blinked away his watering eyes, and nodded quietly. Guilt, all he felt was guilt. _This is all my fault._

"It's not your fault kid"

Piccolo's words resounded in his ears the whole flight home.

Dende had returned to the Lookout after a last unwelcome, sympathetic look towards his kin, leaving Alex and Piccolo in each other's quiet company. The Namek had tried to raise his Chi, and had almost vomited quicker than the other man could ram the bowl underneath him. It was violent, but now there was just a plain, endless quiet.

Alex had thought of all the serendipity and excitement he felt that Piccolo was still here, his old friend who he had wondered about all this time. How Gohan would have taken his mentor to Dende immediately, how he would have most likely been healed in time. He grabbed a towel from a small closet in the hall and passed it to the Namek, with a small, sad smile. Piccolo most likely didn't blame him, but it didn't matter, he blamed himself well enough for both of them.

**Until next time.**

**W. **


	2. A Penny for Your Symptoms

**A Cognitive Psychology**

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or any of its characters. I do however, own my OC Dr. Alex Casper, so I will do with him what I like.

Warning: As always, swearing

**Chapter Two**

**A Penny For Your Symptoms**

Predictably, Piccolo didn't stay at Alex's house for long. In a whirlwind of furious energy, the Namekian left the small country home in all of six or seven seconds. The Doctor had been in the kitchen at the time, and had dropped a spoon at the racket the other man made upon his exit, leaving curse words and clattering objects in his wake. Alex swallowed, his pity mixing unpleasantly with his frustration.

It had been four days since that incident. He had called the Son house every day, to check on Gohan mainly, but he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy chatting to Chi-chi. He could tell that she was going to some extra effort to elongate their conversations, and from her topics of conversation, it was evident that she missed her husband terribly. He hadn't the heart yet to ask what happened. He held the phone in hand, ready to make his daily call. She would ask about Piccolo, with a genuine concern that had been absent on their first encounter; apparently Gohan hadn't seen or heard from the Namekian either. Whilst thumbing through his address book, he thought of returning to the hospital; maybe to alleviate his guilt, and curtail some of the boredom. For the umpteenth time that week, he regretted leaving the city and moreso, getting rid of his cell phone.

As he turned the pages, deliberately stalling, he yet again thought of Piccolo. The strange tall green man occupied his thoughts to the extent where he was starting to regret getting involved. He chastised himself, it was his own involvement in Piccolo's life that had most likely resulted in this, and like it or not, it was his responsibility now. His laptop made a whooshing sound and he glanced at it, it might be a reply to one of his emails. He had contacted several consultants, several in both neurophysiology and Neurology, and even one in exobiology in an effort to help.

The Namekian loomed on the porch to the little painted house, wood groaning underneath his weight. Being unaccustomed to making house visits, he hesitated before knocking on the door, not really knowing what to say when or if it opened. It did occur to him that Alex may not appreciate his presence. He wasn't sure if there were many souls on the planet that did, and for the first time in possibly ever, he missed the predictable, reluctant, welcome hostility of Chi-chi. _Better the enemy you know._

He didn't have to wait for long, Alex spotted the vibrant skinned man's shadow through the glass in the door and swung it open with a relieved smile.

"Piccolo-"

His words caught in his mouth as he took in the other man. The indigo gi was tattered to the point of questionable decency, the top of it missing entirely and the bottoms torn and burned, exposing a large part of a jade thigh which was equally bruised. Bare green feet looked cut badly although the white claws still looked vicious. Alex thought it both humorous and odd that he was still wearing his damaged turban. Piccolo's tone was borderline murderous.

"Stop staring"

The human doctor closed his mouth and laughed nervously through his nose, before inviting his visitor inside.

"Come in, I have something you can wear"

Piccolo gladly entered, ducking through the door and trying desperately to keep his cheeks a normal colour. He wasn't embarrassed as such, he'd been training and in various states many times before, and it wasn't as if he were shy, exactly. In fact, he didn't know why he felt the way he did, but he did suspect strongly that he was overreacting. Probably because so far he had done nothing but look weak in front of this human fool and it was starting to wear thin.

Alex left Piccolo standing in the hallway and returned with a pair of loose fitting jeans and an oversized shirt. Even though Alex was broad, he was skeptical of it fitting over the other man's musculature but he thought better of saying anything. The Namek took the items, without a thankyou and disappeared into the bedroom he was familiar with, slamming the door. The frame shuddered and Alex rolled his eyes. Still he couldn't deny the relief making his chest tingle.

He waited in the kitchen and was reading through the responses he had received when Piccolo emerged. His voice carried over the laptop as the Namekian walked into the room.

"I take it you can't materialise clothing at the moment?"

Piccolo grumbled a yes, and tugged uncomfortably at the shirt where it pinched around his chest. Alex looked up, and bit his bottom lip to save from any kind of laughter like sound escaping. The shirt hung oddly, too wide at the waist and not really long enough for his arms. The jeans too, came to a stop just above the ankle but otherwise looked loose enough.

"Maybe...tuck in the shirt, it might be more comfortable"

He actually meant _it might also look better, _but he imagined Piccolo had little interest in such things.

"What?"

Alex stood, closing the laptop in case Piccolo had somehow learned how to read whilst living in the forest, and walked over. The other man's lack of fear, trepidation or anything else he expected from a human made him scowl, and for some reason, his skin crawled. Alex grabbed the shirt at the bottom and easily tucked it into Piccolo's jeans, as a mother would with a child and the Namek could only grab the Doctor's shoulders in unsteady disbelief. It lasted only an instant, but it took Piccolo a lot longer to recover from the audacity. Alex smiled, not quite eye level with the surly warrior. For the first time, the Namekian noted that the man's hair was so dark it looked a little blue.

"There, isn't that better"

Piccolo honestly had no opinion on the matter, except for the fact that he absolutely hated Alex being this close. He started to walk away from Piccolo, back to the kitchen worktop, apparently not expecting an answer. He grabbed a couple of cups and flicked the kettle on, thinking about how narrow the Namekian's waist was in comparison to his own.

"I'd like it if you stayed for tea, at least. Or maybe some soup, actually"

He started to open the cupboards to look for something nutritious.

"No- uh, thank you"

The polite words made Alex turn around with raised eyebrows. He was wearing glasses, and Piccolo had clearly only just noticed them as he was staring at where they had fallen down his nose.

"I insist, and anyway, we need to talk about what symptoms you might be having"

He wanted to add, _because I'm a Doctor and this is my area so just sit the fuck down. _

Piccolo opened his mouth to protest, but he hesitated. The feeling of needing help was unbearable but so was the weakness. His crossed arms pulled at the white cotton and he closed his eyes in resignation.

"Fine"

Alex gestured to the chair, ignoring the tone of the other man's voice.

"Just tell me everything you've experienced that might be out of the ordinary"

_And where you've been for four days, and why you look like you've been to war._

Even with willing cooperation, Piccolo struggled to actually say the words. Like all of his long dead enemies would spring out from the shadows once they realised how vulnerable he now felt.

"I can't use any of my Namekian powers, like materialising clothes, inanimate objects. My Chi is erratic, dangerous even and I...I can't fly, or power up"

_I can't do anything._

He didn't mention the headache, the constant thrum of taunting horridness drilling its way deep into his skull where he kept his pride. Alex nodded at his comments, scribbling them down in incoherent writing.

"Sorry, Chi? Is that like the magic energy you used to conjure?"

Piccolo wrinkled his nose at the description.

"Yes..kind of. Although I wasn't able to do much of that when we met"

Alex offered a sympathetic smile. _So not much has changed then has it? Old friend._

"Any pain? Discomfort?"

Piccolo inhaled, and Alex watched him move his tongue against his right canine. He hadn't ever thought about it before, but it was a habit he had definitely had when they were kids. A tell, usually when he was about to lie.

"None"

Alex nodded, he wanted to feel glad about being right but he wasn't. In fact, he wasn't glad about any of this. A memory of them wrestling on the forest floor, trying to stuff red, dry leaves into each other's ears and laughing came to mind.

"Okay, well. I know you're not going to like this, but if you want this to improve...and I assume you do, you're going to have to stay here for a while"

Piccolo didn't like it, and although his drawn features said as much, he didn't respond, he just looked down at the table as if his will alone would make it combust. Alex took that as an agreement.

"We'll fix this"

Apparently his own habit of making false promises had also gone absolutely nowhere. Just like he had told the young Namekian in the forest that he would never leave. Piccolo apparently didn't remember this, or see the irony, so he opened the laptop and started typing furiously.

Chi-chi had hovered over the phone for half an hour before realising that perhaps their new neighbour had other things to do that day. She contemplated calling herself, her worry for Piccolo now creeping back into her mind from where she had shoved it. Goten's young voice didn't help in the slightest.

"Have they found Mr. Piccolo yet?"

She didn't know who 'they' were, since it was only Gohan and Alex who had actually been looking. Both had covered a decent amount of the forest, waterfall and surrounding area with no luck, leaving her eldest son more and more despondent. The familiar feeling of resentment that she associated with the Namekian Demon had burned, but she kept it from appearing on her face, for Goten's sake.

"I don't know darling, but you know he can look after himself"

He grinned, boyish and so trusting. She wished she could believe it herself. She had no doubt that he could look after himself, but he was also just a boy who had grown up in the wild, who might now be lost in the jungle. Her maternal instincts swelled, she had never told Goku, but it's this soft pity that had provoked forgiveness in her for the Demon's kidnapping of her son. He probably hadn't really known any better. And he hadn't known love, or kindness, or any of the other things that help you tell right from wrong.

She still wanted to wallop him with a frying pan though.

Gohan came blundering downstairs, with the same question in mind and she halted him with a firm hand.

"He hasn't called yet, but I already told you - you're taking a day off today, you need to rest and study"

The teenager pulled a sulky expression and although she felt sorry, she also had their welfare to look out for. Pursing her lips, she realised that actually Piccolo training Goten had helped a lot with the little boy's incessant energy; the training would have to continue without him. Chi-chi walked up to her bedroom to put on something more appropriate, with a cocky grin on her face. _Maybe he can learn a thing or two from a real fighter. _Just holding her fighting gi made her smile, the strength and memory of it something to hold on to.

For the second time that day, she dismissed the creeping thought of making a visit to her neighbour, and for the second time that day, she felt guilty anyway.

Piccolo had gone to the porch for the rest of the day, and Alex had to remind himself that being indoors was probably not the Namekian's first preference. He had been trying to meditate, for hours, but with only partial success. Whenever he neared that pleasant emptiness it would turn on its head, and instead he plunged backwards back to his position on the porch, as if his mind couldn't maintain the focus. Or as if it was desperate to get back to the present. Whatever the reason, it was making him irritable. In a rare show of empathy, he made a mental note not to take out his sour temper on his human companion, who so far had done nothing but try to help. Alex reminded him so much of Gohan, and he smirked, wondering if his mother had been as trying as Chi-chi. The thought made him frown, he didn't actually know much of anything about the other man. He had made no effort to know as children, and certainly avoided any kind of lengthy discussion now. For some reason, it made him feel bad, so he automatically put it down to the new thing he blamed for everything he didn't want to deal with: 'brain damage'.

Alex walked onto the porch, noting that Piccolo looked interesting with his turban, tattered and not at all in synchrony with the rest of his clothes. Handing over a glass of water, he sat down next to the Namek, who muttered in response.

"Thanks"

The mellow brown of the oak platform looked striking against his jade skin, and Alex had to deliberately draw his eyes away.

"If you give me your hat, I can try and get it repaired for you"

"It isn't a hat"

Piccolo pulled the turban from his head and tossed it towards his human host. It landed like a ball of concrete and Alex yelped as his hands almost dropped it, fearing for his wooden porch. His biceps pulled painfully as he tried to pretend it wasn't heavy and Piccolo admired the effort, a smile tracing his lips. Alex couldn't help but smile back, laughing.

"Dick"

A week passed in a roller coaster of quiet and chaos; Alex had called Chi-chi to advise the latest development, and heard Gohan's happiness in the background. Gohan had visited twice, but both times had been told by his mother not to engage in any training, much to Piccolo's chagrin. Actually Alex had told Chi-chi to make up some reason, since he wasn't sure if there might be another accident with the lack of Chi control. Eight conversations about visiting a specialist had occurred, with eight refusals, two arguments and one smashed glass. On the third night, Piccolo had first started a house fire and then raised every object in the house three inches without even realising it. Alex was now considering the use of sedatives, if only to protect his archaeological finds found at last year's visit to the continent, from what he now called 'Namekian voodoo'.

On the eighth day, Piccolo revealed that he was suffering from bad headaches, and so commenced the ninth conversation about visiting a specialist. Usually the Namek would have skulked off to the forest for the day, doing what exactly Alex had no idea, though he figured it had something to do with fighting. He hadn't, and by noon he had started asking questions, not that he wasn't grateful for the company and break from research. He had been working towards a speciality in orthopaedics before all this, and delving into neurology was actually starting to, ironically, give him a headache.

"You sticking around today?"

Piccolo looked up from his lotus position on the sofa, clad in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt Alex had bought from an overpriced store in the village.

"I can leave…"

Alex interrupted quickly.

"No, I just...wondered why"

The Namekian had started to relax a little, and openly admitted the reason, realising that perhaps being honest would accelerate the end to this situation.

"My head hurts, considerably"

Actually it didn't just hurt, it pounded relentlessly. The last time he had ventured into the forest with this pain, he had blacked out, waking up half submerged in the river. Although he would omit that part.

"I see." He sighed, knowing that the next part would be difficult. "Can you please just listen to me and agree to the scan?"

Piccolo frowned, there was less animosity in it now, in fact it had an air of quiet fatigue. For the first time, Piccolo used the other man's name.

"Alex, you're constant patronising is beginning to wear thin"

That hurt. The Doctor rubbed his hands together nervously, and guiltily, looking down.

"You're right, i'm sorry. It's...a habit, from being a Doctor I guess and-"

He stopped himself before continuing. _Because I care about you. _

He knew well that Piccolo wasn't an idiot, and from the stories shared between Gohan, Chi-chi, himself and Goten, quite the opposite. It occurred to him then that the Namekian had probably tolerated this for quite a while, for what reason he wasn't sure. Gohan had reminded Alex several times that he had the wisdom of an ancient Namek, a God even, and not to jump to conclusions. Chi-chi, however, had been quick to remind Gohan that he was also a wild child who grew up in the woods who had no manners or education. He supposed he had settled on the most convenient and uncomplicated assumption, the one that would get Piccolo medical help the quickest, with the least resistance. The one where he was the one who knew what to do and Piccolo didn't.

Piccolo's physical strength, regardless of his mind, was overwhelming, and he had skill, experience, memories, culture, and probably a hundred other things that he hadn't even considered whilst trying to control the unpredictable man. The word manipulative came to mind. He sat down in the armchair opposite his house guest, leaning forward and resting elbows on his knees.

"Look," he hesitated, "It's been a week and i'm worried. I don't know if you grasp the seriousness of your condition, or if you're just choosing to ignore it, or why you'd do that. I don't know what a Namekian is, or Chi, and I'm scared to death of your voodoo"

Piccolo smirked at the last word, digesting the longest sentence he'd heard in a long time. He allowed his human friend to continue. The word friend popping into his mind of its own accord.

"I'm a Doctor, that's what I know, and I'm used to people looking to me for the answer. And you're not"

His voice started to go off tangent, and he realised that he was scared, scared for Piccolo, and worried that the only thing he had to offer wasn't needed, or that the Namekian knew it wouldn't help. Piccolo uncrossed his arms, uncharacteristically leaning back on the sofa. He wondered if it was their acquaintance all those years ago, or the man's kindness, or the way his eyes were a deep blue that occupied his thoughts more than they should, he licked his lips. Being honest he was used to, being upfront he was not.

"I know you're trying to help. Humans - they don't have a good track record of doing that...for people like me"

Alex swallowed, keeping quiet.

"If I go with you to a hospital, and submit to...what do you think they'd do with me?"

The dark haired man looked down at his own hands, knowing the answer. He wanted to say, _I wouldn't let that happen. _Except he wasn't strong, wasn't one of these grand heroes with magic powers he had heard so much about recently. He wouldn't be able to stop them.

"I know exactly what they'd want to do with you"

He also knew that they had few options. Gohan had already asked Bulma for help, but she hadn't the right medical equipment for such a procedure, though she had offered to build something. It might be ready in a month. Alex had said thank you, and meant it, but knew that a month was a long time. The brain injury would continue to be untreated.

"I know you're concerned, and with good reason." He thought of Red Ribbon industries, and knew already their involvement with the creation of Cell, numerous Androids, bioweapons, and unethical experimentation. "But, you should know what might happen if we don't do something"

Piccolo raised a brow, waiting for the explanation. The words came slow and if he were perfectly honest, he had prefered being unaware.

"Well...you might need to face the possibility of not getting any of your abilities back. You might lose your memory, forget where you are, the headaches will continue. You could lose your balance, be clumsy, unable to focus. And a whole host of things related to your species that I can't predict"

Piccolo said nothing, and Alex swore at himself internally for being insensitive, the feeling bursting forth into a blush on rosy cheeks.

"Don't beat yourself up, this is the first time you've not treated me like a child"

Alex's face visibly paled. He had forgotten, Piccolo could read his thoughts when they were young, had he been able to all this time? The Namek smirked, not hearing them, but knowing the thoughts anyway.

"I don't need to be able to read your thoughts to know what you're thinking. Yet another thing that I've lost"

_Another reason why I'm becoming an empty shell._

Alex didn't need to have that ability either, to see his companion's face fall like a glass from the edge of a table. He stood and moved to sit next to Piccolo on the striped sofa, making the Namek turn his head to the left. Placing an awkward arm around the other man, he could feel the heat rising through the thin fabric, feel Piccolo tense. The rigidity came as no surprise to Alex and he said nothing. Piccolo just let it happen.

He tried not to think about it later.

That evening, after they had parted company to recover from the intense conversation, Alex had asked Piccolo to dinner. Not that he wasn't welcome to join him every day, but he assumed the Namek would make a hasty escape to the forest as soon as possible. He had hung the washing out to dry, swept the porch, weeded the garden despite the intended wildness, read extensively the texts sent by his colleagues, anything to give the Namekian his much valued space. He had given Piccolo his spare room to use, but he was currently outside practicing Kata.

His dish drying pace slowed as he watched through the kitchen window. The pale mint tiles reminded him of his mother, and he thought of her as he stood doing domestic duties whilst he looked outside, as she had done to look over her children. He thought of their similarities, she had been a scholar before retiring to the countryside, had completed her Masters in cybernetics and finished her Phd in electrical engineering whilst raising him, he had started his own further studies last year and yet here he was, washing dishes in the countryside. His qualifications didn't matter here, and for the first time since he left the city, he was glad. His father had a different look on life, an agricultural farmer who valued hard work far above any letters at the end of his name. Luckily, he also valued a difference of opinion and his father worked himself half to death to pay for medical school.

Piccolo's movements were smooth, exacting and meaningful, every millimetre calculated, every breath controlled. Bare feet moved through the air with prowess, and Alex couldn't help but look intently at his toes, long legs, slim waist. He looked down at the sink, feeling suddenly caught, before looking back. Piccolo continued unaware, or more likely quite aware but not caring, slicing through air molecules with as much ease as he moved through steel, and Alex again couldn't help but watch. He never had much interest in martial arts, now all of a sudden he was anxious to know more.

He dried the last dish and wanted to make a start on dinner, but first decided to change. Not to wear anything special, but his parents had raised him to look presentable for dinner. Can't argue with that programming.

Piccolo returned from outside, and headed to the shower. He had learned the hard way at the Son household to be clean for dinner. On his way to the bathroom, he caught a glimpse of Alex in his bedroom, and was looking before he thought it might be rude to. The other man was holding something, a book of some sort, and a couple of seconds went by. Piccolo continued on, realising that he was invading on some kind of privacy. The scene lay heavy in his eyes as he showered, sure that he'd felt some sort of sadness, or nostalgia perhaps, emanating from the other man.

A knock on the door caught his attention as he stood in the hot spray. He missed the waterfall intensely. Alex answered it, his voice heightening in surprise, and Piccolo's long ears twitched. The words weren't clear, but the tone was strange so he leaned out of the water to listen.

"Sorry...I'd totally forgotten"

"It's fine, really"

"No...I. An old friend had an accident and...I'm his Doctor so..."

Piccolo frowned, that sounded a lot like a lie.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry"

"It's fine, why don't you...come in for a drink at least"

Piccolo turned off the water, patting himself dry and dressing as fast as possible without his supernatural abilities. In his haste he hadn't considered why he even wanted to leave the bathroom to find out who it was and he hesitated at the door. A foreign laugh, full of mirth and sweetness, travelled down the corridor.

He ventured out, coming upon Alex and the visitor in the living room. He was handing the young woman a glass of wine, and had evidently had poured one for Piccolo too. The Namekian looked at it puzzled, but took the glass.

"Piccolo, this is Mizuki"

Mizuki looked up at Piccolo from her seat on the sofa, kind curiosity undisguised on her pleasant face.

"Oh hi, pleased to meet you. Alex said you'd had an accident"

He had forgotten about the human need to discuss what had already happened, over and over. He grunted, fingers gripping on the glass. Alex interrupted, seeing Piccolo's strange expression, and with the head injury, not sure what he would say.

"Sorry Piccolo, I forgot that I had made a date for tonight, with everything that's been happening"

For some reason, one that Piccolo would not even be able to contemplate later, he felt his mood darken.

**Until next time.**

**W.**


End file.
